Wheat-heater.



C. W. CARTER.

WHEAT HEATER.

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C. W. CARTER.

WHEAT HEATER. APPLICATION man lum/23,1915. RENEwEn APR. 22. |918.

Patented Dec. 3, 191.8.

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CLARENCE W. CARTER, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

WHEAT-HEATER.

Application filed July 23, 1915, Serial No. 41,512.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE IV. CARTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and `useful Improvements in 1vVheat- Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

invention relates to grain heaters and has for its object to provide a heater having means for receiving and holding the grain and subjecting it to heat while so held in combination with means for periodically delivering the grain through the heater in Such manner that the movement of grain through the heater will take place uniformly throughout the body of grain and not along channels, as is true of grain heating devices of a generally similar character.

The full obj ects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particuvlai-ly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one orm,-

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the grain heater showing the relation oiE the parts while the How regulating mechanism is in one position duringa period when the kernels are stationary and absorbing heat. Fig. 2 is a similar view or' some of the parts shown in Fig. 1 with the parts of the said mechanism in an altered relation while the wheat kernels are in the same position as in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 but drawn to a larger Scale showing the relation ot' the mechanism during a periodic flow of the wheat kernels. Figs. el and 5 are plan and side elevational views, respectively, of the wheatheater with parts cut away, and others in section and drawn to the same scale as Fig. 3. Fig. G is a plan sectional view taken on several different planes above and through the radia- Fig. 7 is an elevational View of a portion of one of the radiator pipes and a pair of baille rods showing the manner of attaching the latter to the former. Fig. 3 is a part sectional elevation of the heater showing the position of the grain therein and the manner in which the controlling foot reacts upon the same.

The casing of my heater, as clearly shown in the drawings, consists of a long vertical box l0, preferably of heat insulatingrmaterial, rectangular in cross section and joined Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Renewed April 22, 1918. Serial No. 230,172.

at the' corners by means of four .angles 11, 12, 13, 14. The upper portion of casing 10 is supplied with a flaring top 15 by means of which the whole heater is hung from the ceiling of a building through four rods 16. The bottom of casing 10 is equipped with a hopper 17 a trifle larger than the casing 10 and attached to said casing somewhat below it by means of brackets 18 and 19.

The radiator or heating member of my heater is best shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. A header 2O having an upper compartment 21 and a lower compartment 22, separated by a horizontal partition 23, is secured within the lowermost portion of easing 10 so that the bottom 24 of said header Shall be iush with the end of casing 10. A plurality of large radiator pipes 25 are drawn in at both ends to 'form the smaller portions 26 and 29, which are threaded and of which portions 26 are screwed in to top 27 or' the header 2O to comnnmicate with the upper compartment 2l of said header. Portions 29 of pipes 25 are supplied with caps 30 terminating in pins 31 which iit in corresponding holes in a plate 32. llate 32 rests upon the caps 30 and is tree to move up and down within downwardly projecting portions 33 ot.' the walls of top 15 and serves to hold the pipes 25 in longitudinal alinement, allowing them to have tree vertical expansive motion. vWithin pipes 25 are a corresponding number of smaller pipes or tubes 311 threaded at one end to screw into the central partition 23 of header 20 to communicate with the lower compartment 22 and extending up through the center ol said pipe 25 to Within a short distance of portion 29 of said pipe and tern'linating in an open end 35 held in approximately the center of pipe 25 by a spring clip 36. Compartment 22 communi cates with a steam plant by means of a pipe 37, and compartment 21 communicates with the feed pump or condenser of said steam plant or the atmosphere by means of a pipe 38. Vhen steam is passed from pipe 37 into chamber 22, up through tubes 34, down through pipes 25 into chamber 21 and out' through pipe 34, the interior of the heater within casing 10 is heated and the heat transferred to the wheat in a manner to be presently explained. Vhen the heater is lirst started considerable condensation occurs in the radiator and the exhaust passes out through pipe 38 as water. During this preliminary period it will be noted that the steam is coldest when it reaches the bottoms of pipes 25. rIhis, however, as will be later explained, is where the wheat leaves the heater and should necessarily be the hottest. This feature is Obtained by reversing the flow of the steam to cause it to enter through pipes 25 and leave through tubes 34 after the excessive condensation has ceased. It then becomes necessary, however, to equip inlet 38 with a steam trap, not shown in the drawings, to take care of the small amount of condensation which occurs in pipes 25 and will come back on the inlet pipe 38 from compartment 21.

The wheat stream enters my heater from spout 138 through the flared top 15. l'Plate 32 is provided with apertures 39 through which the wheat stream passes and which communicate with the spaces between the pipes 25 within the casing 10. These last-named spaces are partially filled with a corresponding number of baffles 40 and 41, which may be a round rod or a pipe 40 wound with wire 42 in the form of a helix or a square rod 41 on which have been cut notches 43. The rods 40 are fastened to the walls of the casing 10 or to the pipes 25, as shown in F ig. by means of clips 144, and rods 41 may be screwed on to said casing. In either case the wheat when released ows through the thus narrowed spaces between pipesl 25 and baffles 40 and 41 where the kernels come in contact withthe pipes 25 and are turned by means of the spiral wires 42 or notches 43 to be uniformly heated on all sides. When the heating chamber is operatively filled with wheat or other grain, the grain extends in a solid mass from near the top of the chamber into and through cylindrical openings 44 extending vertically through the header 2O but not communicating with the interior compartments 21 or 22 of said header. These openings 44 are similarly located with respect to the openings 39 of plate 32 and also communicate with the spaces between pipes 25 and baffles 40 and 41. The body of wheat is sustained at the bottom by a valve plate 46 provided with holes 47 which exactly match the lower portion of the openings 44 in header 20. Valve plate 46 is hung to oscillate below said header by means of arms 48 and 49, 50 and 51 which are secured on rods 52 and 53 pivoted in castings 54 and 55, which castings are secured to the sides of casing 10. Said arms 48, 49, 50 and 51 are pivoted on plate 46 by means of rods 56 and 57 secured to said plate by caps 58 and 59. llVhen the plate 46 is oscillated to the left, as shown in Fig. 3, holes 47 come directly under openings 44 and a free passage is opened for a wheat stream of an aggregate cross-sectional area equal to that of the entire body of wheat in the chamber. When said plate is shifted to the right, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the holes 47 come under solid portions of the bottom 24 of header 20 and the flow of such wheat stream is checked. It becomes obvious that said plate 46 must be hung a trifle below header 2O in order to allow for the slight rising of the same when said plate is oscillated.

Experience shows that where a stream of wheat is permitted to flow continuously through the heating chamber, channels will be formed whereby a part of the wheat will be subjected to much greater and more prolonged heating action than that part which gets into such channels. By periodically releasing the entire body of wheat to flow ca masse, not only is the formation of such channels absolutely prevented butthe wheat or other grain is caused to settle or travel uniformly from its point of entrance into the heated chamber at the top to its point of discharge through openings 44 and 47 at the bottom. To effect oscillation of the plate 46 in properly timed manner, governed by the delivery of wheat or grain into the heater' chamber so as to accomplish such a periodical discharge of the grain in a body, I provide the following mechanism.

A. rocker arm 60 provided with a cam roller 61 is secured to a shaft 62 journaled in the casting 55, as best shown in Fig. 3. A second rocker arm 63 is provided with a cam roller 64 and is secured to a shaft 65 also journaled in the casting 55. Rocker arm 60 is rocked vertically by means of a cam 66 engagingwith cam roller 61, and rocker arm 63 is oscillated horizontally by means of a cam 67 engaging with cam roller 64, both of said cams being rigidly secured to a shaft 68 journaled in the casting 55. The lower portion of rocker arm 63 has lpivoted thereto at 70 an arm 69 which is free to oscillate vertically but whose up motion is limited by a lug 71 on said arm 69 with a screw 72 engaging a boss 73 on arm 63 and whose down motion is limited by a peg 74 fast to the side of casing 10. In the extreme upper position of arm 69 the free pointed extremity 75 of said arm is in a position to engage with a'nctch 76 of a lug 77 attached to they hanger arm 48. When the rocker arm 63 is moved to the left by cam 67 said arm 69 exerts a pressure against lug 77 and shifts the valve plate 46, bringing holes 47 in line with openings 44 and allowing free flow of the wheat stream. The valve plate 46 when the arm 69 is withdrawn by means of a coil spring 82 is oscillated to close openings 44 by means of a coil spring 7 8 or, shaft 53 attached to a lug 79 on hanger arm and a similar lug 80 on casting 55. Arm 69 is held in spaced relation to rocker arm 60 by means of an adjustable tension coil spring 81 of such a length and stiffness that when rocker arm 60 is up arm 69 tends to assume its extreme upper position, and when rocker arm 60 is down arm 69 is down. The arrangement and shape of cams 66 and 67 is, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, of such a nature as to procure the following results. lhen rocker arm 60 is down rocker arm 63 is in its right-hand position and arm 69 is resting on peg 74, away from lug 77 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. As the cam shaft 68 revolves arm 69 is moved to the left until the point 75 passes below lug 77, whence rocker arm 60 is raised causing a tension in spring 81. l/Vhen the cams 66 and 67 have revolved to allow the arm 69 to recede from beneath lug 77 the rocker arm 60 is already lowered, so no tension on spring 81 occurs. As the cams 66 and 67 revolve arm 69 is ejected below lug 77 and withdrawn repeatedly until by an automatic device, to be presently described, rocker arm 60 is held up while rocker arm 63 is in a position as shown in Fig. 2. lVhen this takes place arm 69 is also held up during one of the intervals when it is disengaged from lug 77 and so causes point 75 to engage with notch 76 and open valve plate 46, allowing the wheat to flow. Valve plate 46 is then successively opened and closed until rocker arm 60 is lowered, whence the previously-described operations take place.

The device for automatically holding up rocker arm 60 is best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. A vertical rod 83 passing through the top 15 of my heater is pivoted at its lower end to the rocker arm 60 and has secured to its upper end a bracket casting 84. A second \vertical rod 85 is adjustably attached to bracket 84 by a cotter pin 86 which can be inserted in any of a plurality of holes 87 in the upper portion of said rod 85. Rod 85 passes through one of the holes 39 in plate 32 and extends downward in one of the spaces between pipes 25 within casing 10 and has rigidly attached to its lower extremity a foot 88 in the shape of a cross. Rods 83 and 85, as well as foot 88, are given vertical motion through rocker arm 60 by means of cam 66 and roller 61, the baflies 40 in the spaces occupied by foot 88 being cut oif to allow this motion. As the wheat fills the interior of the heater the foot 88 travels up and down until the wheat has reached a height great enough to give foot 88 a place to rest upon and so hold rocker arm 60 in a raised position. This continues till enough wheat has been allowed to flow out to lower foot 88 to disengage point 75 from notch 76. The weight of the rods 85 and 83, aswell as the casting 84 and foot 88, are counterbalanced by means of a coil spring 89 acting` upon shaft 62.

The drive for cam shaft 68 may be a sprocket wheel 90 on the shaft 68 driven from a sprocket wheel 91 on a countershaft 92 by means of a chain 93, as shown in Fig. 1. Shaft 92 in this form of drive is driven by a belt 94 passing over a pulley 95 on said shaft 92, the power being taken from any available source. Any other form of drive applicable to my heater may, however, be used instead of the one` shown in the drawings, depending upon the location of the heater and the power source.

As can be clearly comprehended, my heater thoroughly and uniformly heats every kernel of wheat and is simple and positive in action. My heater further takes up little room and requires a very small amount of power to operate.

I claim:

1. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means for automatically periodically discharging a determined amount of grain from the lower end of the chamber.

2. A grain heaterv comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a plurality of heated cylinders extending vertically within said chamber in spaced and parallel relative position, means for introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means for automatically periodically discharging a determined amount of grain from the lower end of the chamber.

3. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a plurality of separated and relatively parallel cylinders extending vertically within said chamber, means entering said cylinders at the bottom thereof for introducing steam within the cylinder at the top of the cylinder, and means for withdrawing said steam at the bottom of said cylinder, means for introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means for periodically discharging a determined amount of grain from the lower end of the chamber.

4. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means for automatically periodically opening and closing the lower portion of the chamber to permit flow of grain therefrom for a definitely timed period.

5. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for continuously introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means for automatically periodically opening and closing the grain outlet of an area equal to the aggregate cross sectional area of the body of grain in the heater to permit discharge of grain for a definitely-timed period.

6. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means Jfor continuously introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means controlled by the amount of grain in the chamber for periodically releasing a determined amount of grain from the lower end of the chamber.

7. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for continuously introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, a valve at the bottom of the chamber, and means controlled by the amount of grain in the chamber for operating` the valve.

p 8. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for continuously introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, a valve at the bottom of the chamber, and means including a eeler adapted to be actuated by the grain in the chamber for operating the valve. 9. A grain heater comprising a casing forn'iing a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for continuously introducing graininto the upper end of the chamber, a valve adapted to permit the grain in the chamber to discharge in a stream equal in cross-sectional area to that of said body of grain, and means controlled by the amount of grain in the chamber for operating the valve.

l0. .A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through sepa 'ated portions of said chamber, means for continuously introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, a valve adapted to permit discharge of grain, means normally holding said valve in closed position, and means controlled by the amount of grain in the chamber for opening said valve when the grain in the chamber reaches a quantity such as to bring its surface to a given height.

1l. A grain heater vcomprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, means for applying heat along and through separated portions of said chamber, means for continuously introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, a normally-closed valve adapted when open to permit the grain in the chamber to discharge in a stream equal in aggregate cross-sectional area to that of said body of grain, means normally inoperative for opening said valve,

and means controlled in action by the amount of grain in the chamber' for render'- ing said valve-opening means operative.

12. A4 grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a plurality of heating cylinders extending longitudinally through said chamber in spaced and parallel relation forming a series of connected passageways between and around said cylinders, said passageways being provided with discharge openings from the bottom thereoi, a valve plate normally closing said openings, means for introducing grain continuously into the upper end of the chamber, and means controlled by the height of grain in the passageways for moving said valve plate to permit the periodical discharge of grain through said openings.

13. A grain heater comprising a casing 'forming a vertically extended chamber, a

plurality of heating cylinders extending longitudinally through said chamber in spaced and parallel relation forming a series of connected passageways between and around said cylinders, said passageways being provided with discharge openings from the bottom thereof having an aggregate crossesectional area equal to that o the body ot grain in the passageways, a valve plate normally closing said openings, means for introducing grain continuously into the upper end of the chamber, and means controlled by the height of grain in the passageways for moving said valve plate to permit the periodical discharge of grain through said openings.

14. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a plurality of heating cylinders extending longitudinally through said chamber in spaced and parallel relation forming a series of connected passageways between and around said cylinders, said passageways being provided with discharge openings from the bottom thereof, a valve plate normally closing said openings, means for introducing grain continuously into the upper end of the chamber, means controlled by the height of grain in the passageways for moving said valve plate to permit the periodical discharge of grain through said openings, and means in said passageways for' turning the grain when the same descends bodily therethrough at the time of discharge.

l5. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a plurality of heating cylinders extending longitudinally through said chamber' in spaced and parallel relation forming a series oi connected passageways between and around said cylinders, said passageways being provided with discharge openings Jfrom lthe bottom thereof, a valve plate normally closing said openings, means for introducing grain continuously into the upper end of the chamber, means controlled by the height of grain in all the passageways for moving said valve plate to permit the periodical discharge of grain through said openings, and rods extending centrally"` through said passageways each having thereon a spirally-coiled wire to engage and move the kernels of: grain relatively as the body of grain descends through the passageways at the time of discharge.

lf3. A heater con'iprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a header in the bottom of said chamber provided with two steam chambers and a plurality of discharge openings, a plurality of steam cylinders extending vertically within said chambers in spaced and parallel relation and in direct communication at the bottom with one of said steam chambers, a corresponding` number of pipes in communication with the other ot' said steam chambers extending` within said steam cyl inders and discharging thereinto adjacent the top thereof, means for introducing or withdrawing steam into or from either of said steam chambers so as to cause it to circulate in either direction through said steam cylinders, means for introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, and means for withdrawing grain from said discharge openings.

17. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, a header in the bottom of said chamber provided with two steam chambers and a plurality of discharge openings, a plurality of steam cylinders extending vertically within said chambers in spaced and parallel relation and in direct communication at the bottom with one of said steam chambers7 a corresponding number of pipes in communication with the other of said steam chambers extending Within said steam cylinders and discharging thereinto adjacent the top thereof, means for introducing or withdrawing steam into or from either of said steam chambers so as to cause it to circulate in either direction through said steam cylinders, means for introducing grain into the upper end of the chamber, a valve plate normally covering said discharge openings,

and means periodically to operate the valve 7 plate to uncover said openings for the purpose of discharging grain therethrough.

18. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, heat-applying members extending along and through separated portions of said chamber in spaced parallel relation so as to form a series of connected passageways between and around said members, said passageways being provided with discharge openings from the bottom thereof, a valve plate mounted for oscillation across said openings and adapted in one position to close the openings and in another position to open the same, means for introducing grain continuously into the upper end of the chamber, an oscillating member normally out o'l' operative connection with the valve plate, and means controlled by the height of grain in the passageway igor causing said oscillating member to become operatively connected with the valve plate to oscillate the same and open the passageways.

19. A grain heater comprising a casing forming a vertically extended chamber, heat-applying members extending along and through separated portions oi said chamber, a norn'ially-closed valve adapted when open to permit discharge of grain :from the lower portion oi said chamber, a constantly-moving member for operating said valve, said member being normally not operatively connected with the valve, a movable eeler extending into the chamber and adapted to engage the body of grain therein when said body reaches a certain height, and means operated by said feeler when the same is brought into engagement with the body of grain for effecting operative connection between said constantly-moving device and the valve to open the valve.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE WV. CARTER.

Vitnesses F. A. VVHITELEY, H. A. BowMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

